Manufacture of mouthpiece cigarettes



June 28, 1960 T. ROWLANDS 2,942,606

MANUFACTURE OF Mow- P1205 CIGARETTES Filed Jan. 10, 1958 ATTQeA/m "run 4 United States Patent 2,942,606 MANUFACTURE OF MOUTHPIECE CIGARETTES Tom Rowlands, London, England, assignor to Molins Machine Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Jan. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 708,315 Claims priority, application Great Britain Jan. 23, 1957 6 Claims. (Cl. 131-94) This invention concerns improvements in or relating to the manufacture of mouthpiece cigarettes of the kind which comprise cigarette portions joined to abutting mouthpiece portions by encircling uniting bands.

In the manufacture of such cigarettes, it is usual to assemble cigarette portions and mouthpiece portions into axially aligned groups, to unite them by wrapping adhesive uniting bands about the mouthpiece portions and the end parts of any cigarette portions which abut the mouthpiece portions, and then to sever the united groups at suitable places. Usually a group consists of two cigarette portions with a double-length stub portion between them, and in that case each united group is cut through the mouthpiece portion to produce two mouthpiece cigarettes. The uniting bands may be applied while the groups are moving laterally, for example as disclosed in copending US. Patent application Serial No. 671,607, filed July 12, 1957.

It may sometimes happen that for some reason a uniting band fails to be applied to a group, with the result that the group is not united. Further, it may sometimes happen that an incomplete group is assembled, one of the components, such as a mouthpiece portion, having been omitted. It is desirable to be able to detect any of these faults and to reject any such groups before they result in faulty cigarettes.

For the purposes of the present specification, any group which, in the course of manufacture, has passed the stage at which a uniting band has or should have been applied to it to unite it, will be referred to as an assemblage, and it is to be understood that this term is intended to include not only a complete and united group, but also a group (whether complete or incomplete) to which a uniting band has not been applied or has not been secured, and, in addition, a group (whether united or not) from which a cigarette portion or a mouthpiece portion has been omitted. For convenience an assemblage to which another time parts of the assemblage which consist of cigarette portions. Preferably the device is employed in combination with means for abutting the component a uniting band has not been secured or has not been applied will be called a non-united assemblage, while an assemblage from which a cigarette portion or mouthpiece portion has been omitted will be called an incomplete assemblage.

' According to the present invention there is provided a device for testing assemblages (e.g. in a machine for making mouthpiece cigarettes) comprising a plurality of separate supporting means so arranged as to be operable at difierent times to support a complete assemblage at different positions along its length. By this arrangement, the component parts of a non-united assemblage will in succession be unsupported and therefore fall away, and the apparatus can be so arranged that an incomplete assemblage will at some stage be unsupported and fall parts of a group endwise before they are united, which means are so arranged as to cause an incomplete group to have a shorter overall length than a complete group to be so positioned relatively to the supporting means as to be outside the range of action of at least one of them. For example the supporting means to support the cigarette portions of a complete assemblage may be so positioned as to be capable of engaging such portions only near their extreme. ends, and the said positioning means in that case cause an incomplete group, having a short overall length,'to be located between the last-mentioned supporting means so that they cannot support it.

The supporting means may comprise suction nozzles operable, during dilferent times, to support assemblages or parts thereof against the action of gravity. For example the device may comprise a rotatable member having peripheral suction nozzles and arranged to transfer assemblages from the apparatus in which they are united to the apparatus on which they are cut. Suction nozzles which engage different parts of an assemblage are put into and out of communication with a source of suction at appropriate different times.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end view illustrating a testing and trans fer device forming part of apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes;

Figure 2 is a section on the line IIII, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-HI, Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV, Figure 2.

The apparatus shown forms part of apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes by assembling axially aligned groups, each consisting of two cigarette portions with a double length stub between them, abutting the cigarette portions and stub, and feeding the group sideways into a device whereby the group is rolled over an adhesive uniting band so that the band is wrapped about it. The

means for assembling and abutting the groups are in substance the same as those shown in Figures 8 and 10 of the drawings accompanying the complete specification of US. Patent No. 2,798,495. In brief, a group is fed endwise until the leading cigarette portion (if present) passes on to a stationary surface against which it is lightly held by a yielding member, such as a spring finger or, as shown in Figure 10 of the drawings of the complete specification component (which should be a cigarette portion) abuts against the arrested foremost component (which should also be a cigarette portion). If one component is missing, therefore, the remaining two components will be abutted together and fed forwardly together, but they will be fed forward later than the correct time for a complete group, because of the extra distance the pusher has to travel before it can push them forward as a whole. Thus the leading component will not be as far advanced, at a given time, as would be the leading component of a 'complete group.

In the present case each group is fed lengthwise to a position at which it is engaged by a deflector which moves the group sideways on to a suction drum 1, Figure 1, which holds on its surface, by suction, adhesive uniting bands suitably spaced apart.

. 3 The deflector'is similarto'that disclosed in.U.S. patent application Serial No. 671,607, in that whereas the 'deflector while pushing a group sideways has a forward component of movement (i.e. a component in the directionof endwise'moyement-of the group) it is also -provided with a-stop member which,-during'part-"of its side-.

ways movement with the deflector, has no" such forward component. Consequentlythe endwis e movement of'a.

' complete group is arrested by the 'stop-memberbefore the group reaches group isincomplete, its leading component Will, as exthe suction drum 1. 'Ifhowever" the plained above, not be so far 'advanced,'when the group.

. isengaged bythe deflector, aswouldbe the leading component of a complete group. .fConsequentlytheincomplete group will continue toimovejendwisefor a longer periodthaniwould a complete group,' since it reaches the suctiondIumI before it has'a ehance *orreaching' the stop member. This explanation will be rferredtolater. V A concave plate 2-above' the drumilengages thegroups and causes 'them to roll over theunitingbands and thus tobe united. V a

A'suction drum on which they are cut inhalf" by ajknife. 6.

The suction drum 3'in addition'toefiecting this transfer acts as a testing device whereby non united or incomplete assemblages can be ejected and not-transferred to *the middle discs will-both registerwith a part of .the assem blage containing the double-length mouthpiece portion,

and the ports a at theends of the drum will register ,7 with the cigarette portions near their extreme ends.

The shaft 7 is hollow to provide a suction 'chamber'12,

connected to a suitable suction vfan or the 'like '(not. shown). Conduits 13 and 14 ,extend'from' the chamber 12 and .can put the chamber. into, communication with the ports 1.0and, 10a respectively asjthe drum, 3 rotates. As can be seen from 'Figure -1, and'from a comparison .of

Figures 3 and 4, the conduits 13 and the conduits 14,, respectively, extend outwardlyfif'rom the chamber in slight-' ly, differentdirections, so, that as the'drum rotates in the direction-shown by the arrow, Figure 1, a pair of ports '10 will register with the conduits 13 before'the corresponding ports 10a have come into register with the conduits 14. It will also be seen that the conduits 13 slightly overlap the conduits .14 so that for a short period all the ports 10 and 10a in one row (that i slall the portsextending'into one row of flutes in which row an assemblage is to be accommodated) will be in communication with the suction chamber 12. r e 1 j The .shaft 7 is also provided with peripheralgrooves '15 whichinyefl'fectform;extensions of the, conduits 14 for 545 around the shaft, ,and thus keep the ports 10a in communication with the suctionchamber ,12, for some time.

'Thejchamben 12 does not extendquite asfar as the left-hand disc, 8 (Fi'gure 2), and forthis reasonthe lefthandfconduit 14 (as viewed injFigure 2) does not communicate' directly with ports lflanbu t only, through a shortchannel; 16 extending along, theshait 7 and connecting the conduit with the groove 1'5.

- A, further chamber 17 is formed within theshaft "7 ,at' its left-hand end as viewedin'Figurefz. Thischamber communicates, through, a, radial hole, with 3-; gl'OQVQ 18,

Figures 1, 3 and 4, which extends alongfthe lengthpf' the shaft andregisters with allfithe ports 10. gm 10a Srreceives theunited groups, or assem blages,.from the drum l'and transfers them'to a'drumS I 7 314 in turn. Thev chamber 17 is connected to a suitable blowing device (not shown) by which air under pressure'is supplied to the chamber for discharge through the ports as they register with the groove 18.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows. Groups each consistingoftwo cigarette portions with a doublelength stub between them and in axial alignment them are formed and fed jendwise, and the.

partsof each group are brought into endwisenabutment, infthe, manner-already -'described. above with reference to "US. Patent No. 2,798,495. lt willbe assumedft'hjat all the components of a group are present and "thegroup is thereforecomplete' .The abutted group is fed end-. wise toward adeflec ting device which pushes it sideways onto thedrum'LFigure 1. The timing of the abutting and feeding means is such that the group is suitably located on the drum 1 in relation to the flutes and ports 7 in the suction drum 3. a

Itwill further beassumedythat .a'unitingband isrcor rectly applied .toand rolled about the group,ithus;.uniti ng it .and forming acomplete, united assemblage. assemblage .is then engaged by a row of flutes 9, ,and lis immediately heldin those flutes by suction, sinceat this stage theports l0-extending from the. flutes which hold the mid-portion of the assemblage are in registerwith the conduits 13. The corresponding ports llldare not yet inregister with the conduits 14, and the assemblage is thereforeheld suctionally at its .mid-portion alone-- thatis, the portion which contains the double length mouthpiece portion.

.As the drum 3 continues to rotate, carrying theassemblage further from the drum, 1, the ports 10 .move' past the-conduits 13, but before this happens the ports .10a

suction is cut oil from the mid-portion'ofgthe assemblage,

suction has already been applied to the extrenieends and the assemblage is still held in the flutes 9. V This continues until the assemblage is brought into'a flute inathe cutting drum -5, the suction being-applied meanwhile throughthe grooves .15, and'being cut off when'the ports 10a move away from the grooves '15." The; assemblage is then .carried by the drum 5 pastthe knife 6;;which subdivides it.

Considering now a case in which 'a complete .groupsis fed on to the drum 1, but no Iuniting-bandis. fed into contact with it, this group will 'roll on the 1 and ,.in due course be delivered to a row .of flutesB of the suction drum 3,'as a nonunited assemblage. doublelength mouthpiece portion,-which :forms the mid-.portign of assemblage, jis immediately held bysuction ,act-

ing through ports'10,. but; the, cigarette portions. are-not soheld, sincetheports' 10a are not yet in communication,

with the suction-chamber. Consequently :thesecigarette portions .fall from the flutes into a suitable receptacle. Shortly. after this, the ports '10 *move away; from-jthe conduits 13, and-the mouthpiece portion is-released and fallsfrom the flutes into another receptacle.

,The case will now be considered-in whichieit'hena mouthpiece portion or a cigarette portion is missing from the 'group. As explained above, each group in is abuttedby a pusher which advanceslthe rearmostcomponentwhile the foremost component is; arrested by.-;f;ric

' tion. ,-:Acco-rdi.ugly the incomplete group is fed forwardly,

as explained .above, in such a way :that its l'eadingfiomponent cannot reach thestop member onjthe-deflector, and, as a resultfthe. incomplete -group still has endwise, ,forwardicomponent' of movement when .it reaches the suction drum, 1.. -Here"it is immediately grippedbetweenthe drumand theplate 2, which arrestit s forward movement, and in practicetheincomplete group, isfound to be approximately centred on the drum 1,. where it is united, by.a ;.uniting band, or at any rateits position is such that when it is transferred as an assemblage to the suction drum 3, it will not extend over either, of

the ports a. Consequently as soon as the ports 10, by which alone it is held, move away from the conduits 13, the incomplete assemblage will fall away.

It will be appreciated that in the case of an incomplete assemblage which is united by a uniting band, its rejection largely depends on the particular arrangement whereby the groups are abutted. Thus in order to obtain the greatest advantage from the detecting device, it is desirable to arrange the feeding of the groups in such a way as to ensure that only if a group is complete will the resulting assemblage register with the ports 10a as well as with the ports 10. It is to facilitate this that the ports 10 are located at the extreme ends of the drum 3 so as to be able to engage only the extreme end portions of a complete assemblage.

Although in the above description the device has been described in combination with a particular apparatus for feeding groups of cigarette portions and stubs, namely means for feeding them endwise and then deflecting them sideways, it could also if desired, be used with other apparatus by which for example, the cigarette portions and stubs are formed into groups and abutted endwise while moving sideways. In such a case the arrangement should preferably provide means whereby the cigarette portions of each group are urged towards each other, before the group reaches the suction drum 3, in such a way that should a stub or a cigarette portion be missing from the group, the incomplete group will become so positioned that when it reaches the drum 3 it will not extend over either of the ports 10a, and will then fall away when the ports 10 move away from the conduits '13.

The ports 10 and 10a are all brought into register with the groove 18 while the corresponding flutes 9 are empty, see Figure 1, and air is discharged outwardly through them, by way of the chamber 17 and groove 18, in order to blow away any tobacco dust or particles, or other matter which might clog the ports.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by' Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes in which cigarettes and stubs arranged end to end in groups are united by adhesive encircling bands to form assemblages consisting of stub portions and cigarette portions, 2. device for testing the assemblages by supporting them at different positions along their lengths at different times, said device comprising supporting means for stub portions only and further supporting means for cigarette portions only, the two said supporting means being operative at difierent times and each being operative alone, so as to allow portions of an assemblage which have not been united to other portions to fall away when not supported by one of said supporting means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in combination with means for abutting the component parts of a group endwise before they are united, which means are so arranged as to cause an incomplete group to have a shorter overall length than a complete group and to cause it to be so positioned relatively to the supporting means as to be outside the range of action of at least one of them.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the supporting means to support the cigarette portions of a complete assemblage consisting of two cigarette portions with a stub portion between them, are so positioned as to be capable of engaging such portions only near their extreme ends, whereby an incomplete assemblage, having a short overall length, can be positioned between the last mentioned supporting means so that they cannot support it.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting means comprise suction nozzles operable at different times, to support different parts of assemblages against the action of gravity.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the suction nozzles are formed in a rotatable member which is arranged to transfer assemblages from apparatus in which they are united to apparatus on which they are cut, and wherein suction nozzles which engage difierent parts of an assemblage are put into and out of communication with a source of suction at appropriate different times.

6. In apparatus for making mouthpiece cigarettes in which cigarettes and stubs arranged end to end in groups are united by adhesive encircling bands to form assemblages consisting of stub portions and cigarette portions, and in which the groups are abutted endwise before they are united, a device for testing the assemblages, comprising support means so spaced apart as to be capable of engaging a complete assemblage near its extreme ends so as to constitute the sole support for such assemblages, and so located that an abutted assemblage from which one part is missing cannot be engaged by said support means and therefore falls away.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,180,669 Edwards et a1 Nov. 21, 1939 2,186,652 Orth et a1. Jan. 9, 1940 2,188,998 Edwards Feb. 6, 1940 2,549,316 Kremer et al Apr. 17, 1951, 2,821,201 Brunswig June 28, 1958 

